Shooting Portrait Head-Shots at Home - Made Easy With Simple Step-By-Step InstructionsWriten by Roger Lewis
The ultimate expectation of shooting Portrait Head-Shots at home or in a hired studio, is made easy with these step-by-step instructions to help you.
Getting Started It's really quite simple and after having read this article and with some experimentation, you'll be shooting like a pro...
What You'll Need, To Start From a Simple Beginning:
1. CAMERA, 35mm. SLR., (single lens reflex), will be fine if possible with a 28-80 zoom lens, or separate prime lenses 80mm., or 100mm., for head shots and 50mm., or wider for fashion shots.
EVEN BETTER, a 'MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA' such as:-
Bronica SQAI, or Hassleblad 501CM, or Mamiya 6, (format size 6x6cm.), with a 150mm. or 200mm., lens for head shots and a 80mm., lens for fashion shots. NOTE, using a medium format camera, will give you a better IMAGE Quality, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, it will slow you down and:-
MAKE YOU THINK LIKE A PROFESSIONAL!
2. TRIPOD, use a solid heavy duty one. Check out the second hand market.
3. FLASH. (Studio Flash), a separate studio flash unit. Start by checking the used photo equipment stores, trying to find good second hand studio flash units.
4. FLASH METER. Visit your photo suppliers and check out the new and second hand stock. Ask for advice, it's better to find one that you feel comfortable with.
5. DIGITAL or FILM STOCK: If your using film then 100 ASA, film speed, will do just fine in most situations. At this stage you have to decide if you want to shoot with color print film, color transparency slide film, or black and white film.
SIMPLE LIGHTING SET UP For Head Shots.
SEAT YOUR MODEL: On a stool, one or two meters in front of a plain background, talk to her, she's nervous too. (Read that line again!) It's Important. Keep a good 'rapport' with your model, she will work much better with you. Did she fix her hair and her make up OK. If possible it's a good idea to have a make up artist and hairdresser on hand to help you, the more attention to detail the better will be the results.
SET THE CAMERA: On a tripod, at the same height as the models head, borrow a stand in model to sit in for a few minutes, while you 'GET TO GRIPS' with the lighting set up. At this stage, you will realize what an advantage it was, you spent your 'hard earned cash' on a new or used studio flash unit, with built in modeling lights, to give you some idea of your lighting effects.
REMEMBER YOUR STUDIO LIGHTING: Should be set up and ready to use, long Before your model walks on the set.
POSITION YOUR 'BROLLY' FLASH: About 45 degrees angle to one side of the camera position and also about 45 degrees angle above the models head. The distance between the Flash and the subject's head, (for head shot's), should be about one meter flash to subject distance.
PLACE A LARGE WHITE REFLECTOR: To the opposite side as your flash unit, as close as possible to the subject. Sometimes it's a good idea to place a flash unit bounced into the reflector as fill in, taking care not to over power your 'Key Light'. Next, place a small white reflector under the models chin, to bounce light up to the shadow area under the chin.
FLASH METERS: Now, check out what exposure you should use and set the f. stop, (aperture), on the camera. The shutter speed is not so important in the studio, as long as it's no faster than the camera's recommended flash sync' speed, or slower.
IT WOULD BE a good plan to do a test run the day before, allowing you time to process your test shots and check your exposure and lighting. Many professional photographers use a medium format camera in the studio, which can be fitted with a Polaroid camera back, allowing them to make instant tests on the spot. Also there are some Pro Photographers that use medium format cameras in the studio which have been fitted with special Digital camera backs, allowing the images to viewed on screen immediately.
OTHER LIGHTS: It's also a good idea to add two or three other lights to your studio set up, (if the budget will allow).
A HAIR LIGHT: At the back of the set and to one side, fixed about two meters high, clipping the models hair. This should have a 'snoot' or 'honeycombe' fitted to the front of the light, to prevent stray light falling on the camera lens.
BACKGROUND LIGHTS: Can also be put to good use, to light up, or create effects with the background.
IT'S REALLY A MATTER of experimentation to develop your own technique, until you have perfected a pleasing effect and you are more or less satisfied with your results. In the meantime you can drive your friends and members of your family crazy in trying out your new found skills... And then...
SET UP YOUR own small portrait studio in a spare room or garage at home.
JUST KEEP ON TESTING untill you have mastered the art.
To learn more about Portrait Head Shots, go here: Pro Portrait Head Shots
Roger is from London and started out in the days of the Swinging Sixties when London was quite a place to be. Roger says that In those days he use to shoot catalog fashion shots with a 10X8 inch View camera, so the transparency images would be the same size as the image on the catalog page. I have to tell you right now that took quite some doing. Now I spent most of my time with my website: Pro SECRETS of Money Making PHOTOGRAPHY writing and teaching photography, shooting the occasional assignment.
To learn about Shooting Pro Fashion Photography go here: Pro Fashion Shoot